Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

Work is progressing quickly now that there are more crews on site. 

Bye, bye ceilings

Floors are being stripped down to bare support beams. 

Walls going up...

Walls are being knocked down in some areas and erected in others. 

Walls going down

There is so much already accomplished and so much yet to accomplish.

Cupola shadow

As the sun rises a bit later and sets a bit earlier, shadows are a part of our journey to and from our community prayers. 

This picture is a reminder that God is everywhere, even in the taking down of a building.  The cupola that is casting this shadow is said to have been on top of our original building.

Notice the cross of the rafters.  “God has been our help, and in the shadows of His wings, we sing for joy.”  Ps 63:7

Having a little fun

Yes, we have Sisters who keep in touch with their inner child.

Newly poured concrete in our basement offered a chance to have these children among us “play” in the wet stuff.

Leaving our mark

Unfortunately the concrete was well set by the time they got to it, and they had to settle for mere fingerprints.  Let’s hope they remain under the brick wall that will be built atop the concrete.

Some surprises are scary. Like a deer running across the road as you drive your car at dusk.

Some render you speechless. Like a soldier returning from active duty early and surprising her family.

Surprises in the construction business can be a little of both.

We recently found a lovely surprise in our building.  Under the flooring of the oratory we found a beautiful maple wood tongue and groove floor.

This surprise floored us!

Our workmen are currently taking it up, and we will store it for our own use.

Surprises.  May all future ones be of this flavor!

Pam Stoll

We are excited to announce the promotion of lay employee Pam Stoll to human resources administrative assistant for the entire Congregation!

BSPA lay employee Pam Stoll has been promoted to serve as the Congregation’s human resources administrative assistant. She has previously worked in the finance department, assisting in a variety of ways for all of our monasteries and our Congregation.

Pam, originally from Parnell, Mo., has worked with us for over two years. During that time she has assisted the finance office with income calculations, dispersing and posting of petty cash, tracking altar bread accounts and calculations of monthly bills.

To learn more about Pam and her new duties, please click here.

Do you remember the first time you rode your bicycle without training wheels?  Remember your First Holy Communion?  How about getting your first driver’s license?  The first time you skied down the big mountain without falling?  Falling in love for the first time? Owning your first home?  All of these thrilling events are worthy of being remembered.

While snapping shots the other day, I realized that this is the first time that a door and a wall in our attic have been exposed to unfiltered sunlight.

Exposed walls

Exposed door

Neither are pristine.  In fact, both look old and worn yet retain a sense of beauty.  Perhaps not as exciting as the first times I mentioned above but nonetheless worth noting.

That's a tool box!

I just had to!  This tool box is the biggest I have ever seen and so wanted to share it. 

Think of all the tools that can be stored in it.  No, don’t think of how much it weighs and having to lift it.

Ceilings on third floor are gone

This hallowed hall of our monastic enclosure that once held silence within its high arched ceilings is now only days away from being tucked into our collective memories.  Sunlight shines upon it for the first time since the south wing was erected in 1919.

For the first time in almost 100 years, sunlight shines through the roof

Stacked windows wait for caulking to be removed so they can be reused

There are over 400 windows in our monastery.  We have saved several from the wings that are being deconstructed…

Removing caulking

…and are carefully removing the caulking around the frames before they are stored.  It’s a good thing that not all 400+ need this kind of attention!

These windows will be recycled for the renovation

Sister Valerie and Reporter William Seay

William Seay of KQ2-TV (St. Joseph, Mo.) visited today to learn more about our Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories monastery renovations project.

Sister Valerie (pictured above) and Sister Cheryl spent the morning telling William about the project. He was specifically interested in our efforts to recycle and reuse many of the building materials, including sharing items with our Amish neighbors.

It is also interesting to note that during the deconstruction we are finding items in the building that had already been recycled once before.  It appears we are getting our money’s worth!